Denver Cash Mob at I Heart Denver store tonight

Flash mobs are so yesterday. Get ready for cash mobs! Rather than inciting a riot or inspiring a funky dance, these mobs encourage people to throw money at local businesses. As Samuel Schimek, who will be hosting the first installment of Style Strike at the Denver Pavilions at noon today, explains cash mobs, they're "people who like local businesses and want to support them" -- and descend en masse on those businesses. From 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. tonight, Cash Mob Denver will descend on Schimek's business: the I Heart Denver store on Level 2 of the Pavilions. See also: -- Say yes to the...purse with Denver Pavilion's new series Style Strike --Best place to always buy Colorado 2012

A mobber prepares to charge Pandora.

Enthusiastic mobbers will have the chance to meet like-minded people interested in providing direct capital to local businesses, artists and designers. The event has only three rules: spend $20, meet three people you didn't know before and have fun! Immediately following the cash mob, the group will head to Appaloosa Grill for a special happy hour and raffle.

Attorney Andrew Samtoy organized the first cash mob in Cleveland last November. According to Denver Cash Mob organizer Alysha Havey, "Cash mob is now an international event. It started with a group dedicated to supporting the local economy, then became a national day." Indeed, National Cash Mob Day was celebrated on March 24, 2012, which is when Denver joined the efforts to support local economies.

National Cash Mob rules ensure that the integrity of the event remains intact. In order to qualify for an official cash mob, a business "has to be locally owned, has to give back to the community in some way. The cash mob rules clearly support groups who support each other." In March, Denver's first cash mob supported Pandora on the Hill; this time, it's I Heart Denver. "Because we gave [Pandora] a boost that day, they've now donated 30 percent of those profits to a firefighter relief fund," says Havey.

Cash mobbers support local business.

"I Heart Denver is perfect because they give 70 percent of their profits to support local artists who also support the store," Havey continues. "Part of the mob is about meeting people who have the same ideas in supporting local business and banding together to support our economy."

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